Fuse device for cover plates of plug-in electrical receptacles



10, 1955 A. D. TRAHER 3,200,221

FUSE DEVICE FOR COVER PLATES OF PLUG-IN ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLES Filed Dec. 22, 1961 INVENTOR. ALBERT D. TRAHER gum. C5 4 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,200,221 FUSE DEVHQE FOR IQVER PLATES 0F PLUG-IN ELECTRIEAL RECEP'IACLES Albert D. Traher, 6727 .SW. 19th St, West Hollywood, Fla. Filed Dec. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 161,691 3 Claims. (Cl. 2tlti115.5)

This invention relates to a safety device for electric circuits and particularly to a fuse element and fuse holder that is attached to the outer side of a conventional face plate for electric outlet receptacles of the plug-in type and is a coninuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 93,193, filed March 3, 1961, now abandoned.

Electric plug-in devices of conventional construction are fused primarily at the fuse box of the electric system and, when an appliance, such as electric lamps, mechanical devices or the like develop a malfunction, the result would be the blowing of the fuse in the fuse box, disrupting the particular circuit and all appliances on that circuit.

The present invention contemplates the application of a conventional fuse element that is connected upon the outer side of the cover plate of a receptacle for convenience in removing and replacing and protects the particular associated receptacles in such manner, that when an appliance that has been plugged into that receptacle develops a malfunction only the fuse on the face plate will blow or burn out, leaving all of the other outlets on the circuit energized. The device includes a pair of spaced apart sockets that are riveted or otherwise fixed to the face plate and projecting rearwardly and with a fuse holder having prongs that frictionally engage the sockets of the face plate and with the sockets being electrically connected to a pair of electrical conductors, one of which is connected to a hot wire of the electric circuit, while the other is connected to the hot side of the plug-in device thus establishing, with the conventional ground Wire a continuous circuit through the plug-in device and through the fuse device.

The invention further contemplates a preferably plastic housing having spring clips embedded therein for the reception of a conventional fuse element so that the housing can be quickly and easily removed without the use of tools or the like when a fuse has "blown in order to facilitate the removal of the blown fuse and to permit the engagement of a new fuse without the danger of the operator coming into contact with the sockets.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a conventional plug-in receptacle and a cover face plate, having the invention applied thereto,

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 22 of FEGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is an inner side elevation of a removable fuse holder embodied in the invention,

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section taken line 55 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded elevational view showing the fuse holder in separated relation to the face plate.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there has been illustrated a conventional receptacle device 5 having the usual plug-in slots 6. The receptacle 5 is mounted within conventional wall box in a customary manner. The resubstantially on ceptacle 5 is provided upon opposite side walls with binding screws 7 and 3. Leading to the binding screws 8 is the conventional ground wire 9, constituting the ground wire of the electrical circuit.

Adapted to be disposed over the receptacle 5 in the customary manner, is a preferably plastic face plate 10, having the usual openings 11 for the reception of the spaced apart faces 6a of the receptacle 5. The structure so far described is conventional and forms no part of the present invention.

Fixed upon one end portion of the face plate 10, is a pair of spaced apart tubular and preferably plastic cylindrical sockets 12, riveted or otherwise held with respect to the face plate 10 against movement. Disposed within the socket 12 is a tubular metallic ferrule or liner 13. Connected to one of the liners 13 at the base of the socket is a hot wire 14 and connected to the opposite liner 13 is a wire or conductor 15 that is connected with the binding post 7 of the receptacle 5. It will be apparent, that the negative or ground wire 9 leads to the receptacle 5, the wire 15 leads to one socket member 12 while the opposite socket member has connection with the circuit hot wire 14.

Means are provided to connect the sockets 12 by a conventional fuse device, such fuse device including a plastic housing 17, open upon its rear side. The housing 17 is fixedly connected to the face plate 10 by threaded screw 18, threadedly engaging an opening 19 formed in the face plate and whereby the housing 17 may be quickly and easily removed from the face plate.

Fixedly carried within a chamber 20 of the housing 17 are a pair of spring clips 21. One leg 22 of the clips is molded into the body of the housing while the other leg 23 is notched at 24 to constitute a seat for a conventional cartridge f-use 25. Adjacent the notch 24, the upper wall of the chamber 21 is also notched at as, corresponding to the notch 24 and with the notches forming a yieldable seat for the cartridge 25.

The leg 23 of the clip 21 is provided with an angular extension 27 that is normally flush with the rear face of the housing 17. Riveted or otherwise connected with the extensions 17 are cylindrical metallic plugs 28. The plugs 23 are adapted to have frictional engagement with the liners 13 the establish a positive electrical connection with the wires 15 and 14. The liners 13 may be split in order to present yieldable contact with respect to the plugs 28. Each of the clips 21 are formed of bronze or other suitable metallic material calculated to resist corrosion and to constitute a positive electrical conductor.

In the use of the device, the sockets 12 are connected to the wires 15 and 14 and it will be apparent, that a flow of current will be possible through the wire 14, the wire 15 through the receptacle 5 and to the ground wire 9 when the device is in a fully assembled relation. With the wires properly connected to the socket members 12, the face plate is then attached in the usual manner over the receptacle 5, a cartridge fuse 25 having its ferruled ends engaging the clips 21 and the housing 17 then engaged with the face plate 1'0 by forcing the prongs 28 into their respective sockets after which, the screw 18 is engaged in order to hold the housing in fixed relation to the face plate 10. When a malfunction occurs with respect to any appliance being energized from the particular receptacle 5, the fuse 25 will blow or burn, disrupting the energy to the receptacle 5. The operator then removes the housing 17 and after determining which appliance is at fault, a new fuse 25 is received and the housing then reengaged with the prongs frictionally engaging their respective sockets 12. With this arrangement of parts, the change of the fuse can be accomplished without danger to the opertaor since the metallic liners 13 terminate below the face of the plate 119 so that they cannot '2 a be contacted by the fingers of the operator that would ordinarily present a definite hazard. With the appliance is at fault and can easily and quickly replace the fuse and switch the circuit to their particular outlet.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited ing an extended leg portion and with each of the leg portions being provided with prongs that extend beyond the open side of the fuse holder, the prongs being spaced apart 'a distance corresponding to the spacing of the sockets of the face plate and whereby the prongs are fittingly and frictionally engaged into the sleeves of the sockets, the fuse holder when fully engaged with respect to the sockets having a flush contacting engagement with the face plate and a threaded screw adapted to pass through an aperture formed in the fuse holder for threaded opening formed in the face plate whereby to fixedly hold the fuse holder against the face plate when I the'prongs are fully engaged into the sockets.

to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subj oined I claims; c

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An electrical fuse element for application to a face plate for electrical outlet devices, the face plate being formed of a non-conducting material such as plastic, the face plate adjacent one end being provided with a pair of spaced apart openings, plugs disposed within the openings to be flush with a forward side of the plate, each of the plugs having an inner metallic sleeve that is disposed in the plugs inwardly of the outer face of the face plate, the sleeve of one plug having connection with an electrical conductor that is coupled to the hot wire of a conventional electrical circuit, the sleeve of the other plug being connected tora conductor that has connection 7 with a binding'post upon one side of the plug device, the opposite side of the plug device being connected to a conventional ground wire of the electrical circuit, a fuse holder of non-conducting material that is formed hollow clips fixedly connected in the fuse holder in spaced apart relation to receive a cartridge fuse, each of the clips havand open upon its rear side, a pair of yieldable metallic 2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the fuse holder is formed of plasic material, each of the clips being of U-shape and with one leg of the U being molded into the body of the fuse holder, the opposite leg of each clip being bent to form a notch and with one wall -of the fuse holder opposite to each top being also formed with a corresponding notch whereby to yieldably receive ferruled end portions of a cartridge fuse. V

3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein each of the sockets are formed of plastic for fined engagement into the openings of the face plate, the said sockets being hollow and opening upon the forward side of the face plate, the said metallic sleeves being fixed within the sockets and with the sleeves being tubular and opening atone end toward the open end of the plugs, each of the sleeves having electrical connection with the conductors, each-of the sleeves terminating inwardly of the'sockets and inwardly of the face of the face plate, each of the sleeves having an inner diameter to frictionally receive the prongs of the clips.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS essees 8/37 Rypinski 200 133 2,179,199 1 1/39 Reed 200-167 2,924,687 2/60 Platz 200 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ELECTRICAL FUSE ELEMENT FOR APPLICATION TO A FACE PLATE FOR ELECTRICAL OUTLET DEVICES, THE FACE PLATE BEING FORMED OF A NON-CONDUCTING MATERIAL SUCH AAS PLASTIC, THE FACE PLATE ADJACENT ONE END BEING PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF SPACED APART OPENINGS, PLUGS DISPOSED WITHIN THE OPENINGS TO BE FLUSH WITH A FORWARD SIDE OF THE PLATE, EACH OF THE PLUGS HAVING AN INNER METALLIC SLEEVE THAT IS DISPOSED IN THE PLUGS INWARDLY OF THE OUTER FACE OF THE FACE PLATE, THE SLEEVE OF ONE PLUG HAVING CONNECTION WITH AN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR THAT IS COUPLED TO THE HOT WIRE OF A CONVENTIONAL ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, THE SLEEVE OF THE OTHER PLUG BEING CONNECTED TO A CONDUCTOR THAT HAS CONNECTION WITH A BINDING POST UPON ONE SIDE OF THE PLUG DEVICE, THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PLUG DEVICE BEING CONNECTED TO A CONVENTINAL GROUND WIRE OF THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, A FUSE HOLDER OF NON-CONDUCTING MATERIAL THAT IS FORMED HOLLOW AND OPEN UPON ITS REAR SIDE, A PAIR OF YIELDABLE METALLIC CLIPS FIXEDLY CONNECTED IN THE FUSE HOLDER IN SPACED APART RELATION TO RECEIVE A CARTRIDGE FUSE, EACH OF THE CLIPS HAVING AN EXTENDED LEG PORTION AND WITH EACH OF THE LEG PORTIONS BEING PROVIDE WITH PRONGS THAT EXTEND BEYOND THE OPEN SIDE OF THE FUSE HOLDER, THE PRONGS BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE CORRESPONDING TO THE SPACEING OF THE SOCKETS OF THE FACE PLATE AND WHEREBY THE PRONGS ARE FITTINGLY AND FRICTIONALLY ENGAGED INTO THE SLEEVES OF THE SOCKETS, THE FUSE HOLDER WHEN FULLY ENGAGED WITH RESPECT TO THE SOCKETS HAVING A FLUSH CONTACTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FACE PLATE AND A THREADED SCREW ADAPTED TO PASS THROUGH AN APERTURE FORMED IN THE FUSE HOLDER FOR THREADED OPENING FORMED IN THE FACE PLATE WHEREBY TO FIXEDLY HOLD THE FUSE HOLDER AGAINST THE FACE PLATE WHEN THE PRONGS ARE FULLY ENGAGED INTO THE SOCKETS. 